WILLIAM DEAN.

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         William Dean, a well known and prosperous farmer and stockman of Louisa county, is the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Columbus City and Union townships. His birth occurred in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 27th of November, 1875, his parents being S. A. and Mary (Powell) Dean, both of whom were natives of Indiana. They removed to Mercer county, Illinois, in 1865, and there the mother passed away in 1882. S. A. Dean subsequently took up his abode in Monmouth, Illinois, where he resided for three years. At the present time he makes his home near Des Moines. Unto him and his wife were born eight children, as follows: Jennie, who is the wife of George Baumgardner and makes her home in Coffey county, Kansas; Sadie, who is also married and resides in Kansas; Loie, the wife of Frank Mackey, of Peoria, Illinois; William, of this review; and four who are deceased.

         William Dean obtained his education in the common schools and when nineteen years of age began earning his own livelihood as a farm hand, being thus employed for six years. On the expiration of that period he rented a farm in Mercer county, Illinois, devoting his attention to its operation for four years. Subsequently he purchased a tract of one hundred and thirty-two acres in that . . .

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. . . county, residing thereon for five years. At the end of that time he traded the property for a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Louisa county, Iowa, part of which lies in Columbus City township and the remainder in Union township. He has brought the fields under a high state of cultivation and annually gathers bounteous crops which find a ready sale on the market. Mr. Dean also makes a specialty of raising and feeding stock and is a breeder of Percheron horses, having a fine stable for breeding purposes.

         Mr. Dean has been twice married. In 1897 he wedded Miss Jennie Johnson, a native of Rock Island, Illinois, by whom he had one child, Charles C. The wife and mother passed away in April, 1898, and May 29, 1900 Mr. Dean was again married, his second union being with Miss Daisy Fender, a native of Iowa and a daughter of J. O. and Nancy (Baker) Fender, who are residents of Mercer county, Illinois. Mrs. Dean was one of a family of six children and by her marriage has become the mother of four, namely: Elza F., Jennie M., Ralph E. and Opal L.

         In politics Mr. Dean is a stanch republican but the honors and emoluments of office possess no attraction for him. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to Lodge No. 365 at Columbus Junction, Iowa. Both he and his wife are devoted and consistent members of the Baptist church, exemplifying its teachings in their daily lives. They are people of the highest respectability, enjoying in large measure the friendship of those with whom they have been brought in contact.